Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

सर्वेषामेव दानानामन्नदानं परं स्मृतम् । सद्यः प्रीतिकरं तोयमन्नं च नृपसत्तम

Transliteration

sarveṣāmeva dānānāmannadānaṃ paraṃ smṛtam | sadyaḥ prītikaraṃ toyamannaṃ ca nṛpasattama

Translation

Parmi tous les dons, le don de nourriture est tenu pour le plus élevé. L’eau et la nourriture apportent aussitôt joie et apaisement, ô meilleur des rois.

Word by Word

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन — Genitive plural; विशेषण (दानानाम्)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण) — emphatic particle

• दानानाम्: of gifts/charities
• दानानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन — Neuter, Genitive plural

• अन्नदानम्: gift of food
• अन्नदानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative singular; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अन्नस्य दानम्)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Predicate qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative singular; विधेय-विशेषण (अन्नदानम्)

• स्मृतम्: is remembered/considered
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative singular; कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय (is considered)

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण) — adverb of time ‘immediately’

• प्रीतिकरम्: causing satisfaction/pleasure
• प्रीतिकरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीति + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative singular; समासः तत्पुरुष (प्रीतिं करोति इति)

• तोयम्: water
• तोयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative singular

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Coordination/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय) — conjunction

• नृपसत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — Masculine, Vocative singular; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नृपाणां सत्तमः)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpasattama (best of kings) addressed here; adjacent verses address Pārtha—same listener or a royal addressee in the frame narrative

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A riverside annadāna: servers distribute food and water to travelers; a kingly patron watches; recipients show relief and gratitude; the tīrtha backdrop sanctifies the act.

Characters & Entities

• Anna-dāna
• Jala (water)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Serving living beings through food (and water) is upheld as the most exalted charity because it directly sustains life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The statement supports the Varuṇeśvara tīrtha narrative, where gifts and worship are linked to great merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Practice anna-dāna (and toya-dāna), emphasizing their immediate benefit to recipients.